Ofotfjord
(
or
) is a
fjord
In physical geography, a fjord or fiord () is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Alaska, Antarctica, British Columbia, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Ice ...
in
Nordland
Nordland (; smj, Nordlánnda, sma, Nordlaante, sme, Nordlánda, en, Northland) is a county in Norway in the Northern Norway region, the least populous of all 11 counties, bordering Troms og Finnmark in the north, Trøndelag in the south, N ...
county,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
. It is an inlet of the
Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea ( no, Norskehavet; is, Noregshaf; fo, Norskahavið) is a marginal sea, grouped with either the Atlantic Ocean or the Arctic Ocean, northwest of Norway between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea, adjoining the Barents Sea to ...
, located about north of the
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the two polar circles, and the most northerly of the five major circles of latitude as shown on maps of Earth. Its southern equivalent is the Antarctic Circle.
The Arctic Circle marks the southernmost latitude at w ...
. The long Ofotfjord is
Norway's 12th longest
fjord
In physical geography, a fjord or fiord () is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Alaska, Antarctica, British Columbia, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Ice ...
and it is also the 18th deepest, with a maximum depth of . In the
English language
English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...
and in many historical documents, this fjord is often referred to as the ''Narvik Fjord'' because the
town of Narvik is located on the inner shores of the fjord, but this is not an official name of the fjord.
The fjord is surrounded by mountains, some reaching , and even in
Skjomen
or is a small fjord that branches off from the main Ofotfjorden in Narvik Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located in the Ofoten district in Northern Norway, just south of the town of Narvik. The European route E6 highway crosse ...
, where the ''
Frostisen
or is a glacier in Narvik Municipality in Nordland county, Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northern ...
''
glacier
A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...
can be seen. The only large lowland area is on parts of the northern shore, around
Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes
Harstad/Narvik Airport ( no, Harstad/Narvik lufthavn; ) is an international airport located in Evenes Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The airport serves the towns of Harstad (town), Harstad and Narvik (town), Narvik. It is co-located w ...
, although there are smaller areas near the fjord and in narrow valleys (for instance, the Narvik peninsula, where the harbour and city centre of
Narvik
( se, Áhkanjárga) is the third-largest municipality in Nordland county, Norway, by population. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Narvik. Some of the notable villages in the municipality include Ankenesstranda, Ball ...
is located).
![Kongsbakktinden1-Ofotfjord](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Kongsbakktinden1-Ofotfjord.jpg)
The mountains are covered by forest below elevations of ,
birch
A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 30 ...
being the most common tree, but
pine
A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
and
aspen
Aspen is a common name for certain tree species; some, but not all, are classified by botanists in the section ''Populus'', of the ''Populus'' genus.
Species
These species are called aspens:
*'' Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (China ...
are also common. The bedrock around the fjord consist of both hard minerals like
gneiss
Gneiss ( ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. Gneiss forms at higher temperatures an ...
and
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
as well as softer minerals rich in lime; there is a
dolomite Dolomite may refer to:
*Dolomite (mineral), a carbonate mineral
*Dolomite (rock), also known as dolostone, a sedimentary carbonate rock
*Dolomite, Alabama, United States, an unincorporated community
*Dolomite, California, United States, an unincor ...
quarry in the municipality of
Narvik Municipality
( se, Áhkanjárga) is the third-largest List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Nordland Counties of Norway, county, Norway, by population. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Narvik (town), town of Narvik. Some of t ...
photo.
Name
The surrounding
Ofoten
Ofoten is a traditional district in Nordland county in Northern Norway. It consists of the municipalities of Tysfjord, Ballangen, Evenes, Tjeldsund, Narvik, and Lødingen. It is named after the main fjord, Ofotfjorden, which is at the center o ...
district is named after the Ofotfjord (
Old Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
: ''Ófóti''). The meaning of the first element is unknown and the last element is derived from the Old Norse word ''fótr'' which means "
foot
The foot ( : feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made ...
". The oldest form of the name could have been ''Úffóti''. In this case, the first element is ''úfr'' which means "
Eurasian eagle-owl
The Eurasian eagle-owl (''Bubo bubo'') is a species of eagle-owl that resides in much of Palearctic, Eurasia. It is also called the Uhu and it is occasionally abbreviated to just the eagle-owl in Europe. It is one of the largest species of owl, ...
". The three inner branches of the Ofotfjord might have been compared with the three claws of an owl.
Geography
The Ofotfjord is the longest fjord in
Nordland
Nordland (; smj, Nordlánnda, sma, Nordlaante, sme, Nordlánda, en, Northland) is a county in Norway in the Northern Norway region, the least populous of all 11 counties, bordering Troms og Finnmark in the north, Trøndelag in the south, N ...
county and the fourth longest in
Northern Norway
Northern Norway ( nb, Nord-Norge, , nn, Nord-Noreg; se, Davvi-Norga) is a geographical Regions of Norway, region of Norway, consisting of the two northernmost counties Nordland and Troms og Finnmark, in total about 35% of the Norwegian mainlan ...
. The municipalities of
Tjeldsund
Tjeldsund ( sme, Dielddanuorri) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The southwestern part of the municipality is part of the traditional district of Ofoten and the rest of the municipality is part of Central Hålogaland. The a ...
and
Evenes
Evenes ( sme, Evenášši) is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Ofoten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bogen. Other villages in Evenes include Liland, Tårst ...
are located on the northern shore and the large
Narvik Municipality
( se, Áhkanjárga) is the third-largest List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Nordland Counties of Norway, county, Norway, by population. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Narvik (town), town of Narvik. Some of t ...
is located on the eastern and southern shores of the fjord. The municipality of
Lødingen
Lødingen ( sme, Lodegat) is a municipality in Nordland county in Norway. Lødingen is located on the southeastern corner of the island of Hinnøya, and is part of the traditional district of Ofoten. The administrative centre of the municipalit ...
(and beyond that
Lofoten
Lofoten () is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Lofoten has distinctive scenery with dramatic mountains and peaks, open sea and sheltered bays, beaches and untouched lands. There are two towns, Svolvær ...
) and the large
Vestfjord
Vestfjord, meaning "West Fjord" in the Danish language, is a fjord in King Christian X Land, eastern Greenland.
This fjord is part of the Scoresby Sound system in the area of Sermersooq municipality. Geography
This tributary fjord extends between ...
is located west-south-west of the Ofotfjord.
Several smaller fjord branches extend from the main fjord. From north-west, going clockwise, these are: Ramsundet (which is actually a narrow
strait
A strait is an oceanic landform connecting two seas or two other large areas of water. The surface water generally flows at the same elevation on both sides and through the strait in either direction. Most commonly, it is a narrow ocean channe ...
connecting with the larger
Tjeldsundet
Tjeldsundet is a strait in Northern Norway. The long strait is located between the island of Hinnøya and mainland Norway in its northern part and between Hinnøya and the island of Tjeldøya in its southern part. Tjeldsundet has been an importa ...
), ''Bogen'' (a fairly wide bay), ''
Herjangsfjord'' (the widest of these branches), ''
Rombaken
or (or unofficially: ''Rombaksfjord'') is a fjord that branches off of the main Ofotfjorden in Narvik Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The fjord is about long and is surrounded by steep mountains, and the Narvik (town), town of Narvik l ...
'' (which is crossed by the
European route E6
European route E6 ( no, Europavei 6, sv, Europaväg 6, or simply E6) is the main north-south thoroughfare through Norway as well as the west coast of Sweden. It is long and runs from the southern tip of Sweden at Trelleborg, into Norway and t ...
highway using the
Rombak Bridge
The Rombak Bridge ( no, Rombaksbrua) is a suspension bridge in Narvik Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The bridge crosses the Rombaken fjord near the town of Narvik. The bridge was opened in 1964. The main span is and the maximum cl ...
), ''
Beisfjorden'' (crossed by the
European route E6
European route E6 ( no, Europavei 6, sv, Europaväg 6, or simply E6) is the main north-south thoroughfare through Norway as well as the west coast of Sweden. It is long and runs from the southern tip of Sweden at Trelleborg, into Norway and t ...
highway using the
Beisfjord Bridge
The Beisfjord Bridge ( no, Beisfjordbrua) is a girder bridge in Narvik Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The concrete bridge crosses the Beisfjorden on the west side of the town of Narvik. The bridge connects Ankenes, a residential are ...
),
Skjomen
or is a small fjord that branches off from the main Ofotfjorden in Narvik Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located in the Ofoten district in Northern Norway, just south of the town of Narvik. The European route E6 highway crosse ...
(the longest of these fjord branches, crossed by the
E6 highway using the
Skjomen Bridge) and finally ''Ballangen''. At the mouth of Ofotfjord, on the southern side, is another fjord, the narrow
Efjorden
or is a fjord in Narvik Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is an arm off of the main Ofotfjorden, stretching about to the south. The Efjord Bridges on the European route E06 highway cross the fjord heading east on the way to the to ...
, which extends southeast (crossed by the E6 highway using the
Efjord Bridges).
Fauna
![Ofotfjorden from Djupvika](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Ofotfjorden_from_Djupvika.JPG)
The Ofotfjord has a rich
marine life
Marine life, sea life, or ocean life is the plants, animals and other organisms that live in the salt water of seas or oceans, or the brackish water of coastal estuaries. At a fundamental level, marine life affects the nature of the planet. M ...
, with huge quantities of
herring
Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family of Clupeidae.
Herring often move in large schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, i ...
staying in the fjord in the winter. These fish attract a lot of whales, most notably
orca
The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only Extant taxon, extant species in the genus ''Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black ...
. Divers have occasionally observed
lobsters
Lobsters are a family (Nephropidae, synonym Homaridae) of marine crustaceans. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs have claws, including the first pair, ...
in the fjord, the northernmost sightings of lobsters in the world.
Cod
Cod is the common name for the demersal fish genus '' Gadus'', belonging to the family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gadus'' is commonly not call ...
, as well as
coalfish
The saithe ( or ) (''Pollachius virens'') is a species of marine fish in the Pollock genus ''Pollachius''. Together with '' P. pollachius'', it is generally referred to in the United States as pollock. Other names include the Boston blue (separa ...
, are the most common fish species throughout the year.
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment.
...
is common from July to mid-September.
White-tailed eagle
The white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla'') is a very large species of sea eagle widely distributed across temperate Palearctic, Eurasia. Like all eagles, it is a member of the family Accipitridae (or accipitrids) which includes other diur ...
s and
Eurasian otter
The Eurasian otter (''Lutra lutra''), also known as the European otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter, and Old World otter, is a semiaquatic mammal native to Eurasia. The most widely distributed member of the otter subfamily (Lutrinae) of ...
s have made a strong comeback and are now very common in and around the fjord.
Gull
Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and only distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century, m ...
s are common all year, and many migratory birds arrive in summer, such as
oystercatchers
The oystercatchers are a group of waders forming the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, ''Haematopus''. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and South East Asia. The e ...
and
grey heron
The grey heron (''Ardea cinerea'') is a long-legged wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern ...
s.
History
Naval battleground
In the
Battles of Narvik
The Battles of Narvik were fought from 9 April to 8 June 1940, as a naval battle in the Ofotfjord and as a land battle in the mountains surrounding the north Norwegian town of Narvik, as part of the Norwegian Campaign of the Second World War. ...
in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the Ofotfjord was the scene for several
naval
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
battles, and many ships are resting at the bottom, especially in the vicinity of Narvik harbour. These are very popular among divers. However, some of these
shipwreck
A shipwreck is the wreckage of a ship that is located either beached on land or sunken to the bottom of a body of water. Shipwrecking may be intentional or unintentional. Angela Croome reported in January 1999 that there were approximately ...
s are declared
war grave
A war grave is a burial place for members of the armed forces or civilians who died during military campaigns or operations.
Definition
The term "war grave" does not only apply to graves: ships sunk during wartime are often considered to b ...
s and are thus protected by
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
. The German
destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...
''
Georg Thiele
The German destroyer ''Z2 Georg Thiele'' was one of four Type 1934-class destroyers built for the German Navy ('' Kriegsmarine'') during the mid-1930s. She was named after Georg Thiele, a Korvettenkapitän (Corvette Captain) who commanded the ...
'' was scuttled and is still visible from around the railway between
Straumsnes and
Rombak railway station.
File:Bernd von Arnim scuttled.jpg, German destroyer ''Bernd von Arnim'' scuttled in Rombaksfjord
File:Tirpitz altafjord 2.jpg, Tirpitz in Bogen, Ofotfjord. The Kriegsmarine
The (, ) was the navy of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official branches, along with the a ...
used the Bogen fjord branch as a naval base
References
External links
Newspaper article: Dead Orca stranded, skeleton to be preservedWrecks of Narvik - wreck diving in the Narvik area
{{authority control
Fjords of Nordland
Narvik
Evenes
Tjeldsund